Lucien Schnegg

LUCIEN SCHNEGG (Bordeaux, 1864- Paris, 1909).
"Portrait of Louise Schnegg", c. 1895.
Carved marble.
Signed on the base.
Size: 24 x 13,5 x 17 cm; 39 cm (base).
Marble bust representing the face of a young infant. Aesthetically the work follows the aesthetic parameters established during classicism, whose direct source of inspiration was the statuary of classical antiquity. In this case, we can observe this interest in the harmony of the dimensions and the idealisation of the face of the protagonist. Furthermore, the use of the material and the white finish are reminiscent of the aforementioned trend, as the remains recovered from antiquity did not retain their pictorial layer. As for the subject matter, it should be noted that during the 19th century, family values changed and a new type of parent-child relationship was established, which brought children and their parents closer together in a more intimate way. In this case, the author portrays his son in a gentle and natural way, extolling his figure and making his effigy eternal.
Lucien Schneeg, of German origin, came from a family of craftsmen and artists and was close to a group of cabinetmakers, sculptors and painters. He began his training as an ornamentalist, specialising in carving, and was soon rewarded for his expertise, winning first prize for sculpture at the Bordeaux municipal drawing school. He then continued his artistic education at the École des Beux Arts in Paris, where he also frequented museums to copy the works of the great artists. After an initial contact in 1898, Schneeg met Rodin, with whom he began to work in 1902, although his personal work was far removed from Rodin's Expressionism, which led him to gather around him a group of young people with aesthetics closer to Schnegg's, known as the Schnegg Gang. In 1909 he died and Rodin helped the family, declaring his admiration for the sculptor to whom he dedicated these words: "He had the courage to be a true sculptor: he drew as much from himself as the reformers. He left works of art, even more beautiful, then a complete masterpiece: The Bust of the Republic. He also carved in houses, palaces, with a taste returned to the beautiful times he understood with passion. In decoration he was an intuitive and wise adviser".